


Nervous Hands

by onegr8marvelstan



Series: Whumptober 2019 [1]
Category: Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: Gen, Not Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Compliant, Parent Tony Stark, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Post-Spider-Man: Homecoming, Shaky Hands, Whumptober 2019, no.1 - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-02
Updated: 2019-10-02
Packaged: 2020-11-15 00:46:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,157
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20857415
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onegr8marvelstan/pseuds/onegr8marvelstan
Summary: Peter feels oddly nervous while giving a presentation.





	Nervous Hands

Peter was nervous.  
Maybe absolutely terrified out of his mind was a more apt description, but nervous was all he could come up with right now.  
He really had no reason to be. He had been practicing this presentation for weeks. He practiced in his study period. He practiced during lunch. He practiced after school for Ned and May, who both liked it. He even got MJ’s approval! But Peter could not shake the feeling of terror that weighed down on him as he walked to the front of the room at Stark Industries. He was terrified of messing something up. 

This was his chance to impress Mr. Stark and even Ms. Potts with some really cool research Peter had done. Her morning schedule was cleared just for him, which of course was no added pressure at all. Now he just needed to not mess it up.  
Peter let out a low, shaky breath as he got to the front of the room. He pulled his notecards out and made sure the power point he prepared was up behind him. As the soft noise of conversations continued he sought out Mr. Stark in the crowd. It wasn’t hard. Mr. Stark sat front and center ready to finally see all of Peter’s hard work. When they made eye contact, Mr. Stark gave him an encouraging thumbs up, to which Peter replied with a weak smile. The power point was up and running. 

With no reasons left to stall, the presentation had to begin. 

Peter cleared his throat to get the room’s attention before speaking.

“Hello, uh, everyone. My name is Peter Parker. Today I am here to present to you research I have done extensively on the topic of how carbon emissions are negatively affecting our oceans and, as a result, the biodiversity that resides within them.”

Peter was able to make it from there. With the help of his note cards, and the occasional glance back at the power point behind him for guidance, his presentation was successful. This was good, but did nothing to ease the tension in his shoulders or the shaky breaths between speaking. The encouraging smile from May or Mr. Stark in the audience, or a thumbs up from Ned would calm his nerves. It was only a moment before they returned.  
He did it, though. 

The ending of his presentation was met with reassuring applause. A few people even asked questions. Peter was able to answer their questions with his continued confident façade before they were dismissed. Ned, MJ, May and Tony remained. Ned and MJ were the first to approach him. 

“That was great Peter! I’ve seen it before, but I swear, I learn something new every time!”  
MJ nodded in agreement with Ned. 

“I agree. I’m also glad you took my advice on adding the picture of the beached whales. It was a harsh but necessary addition to the presentation.”  
Peter was able to smile at that.  
“Thanks guys, I appreciate it.” 

At this moment, Mr. Stark cane up and clapped Peter on the back. May walked up and stood alongside Ned and MJ.  
“Great work, kid. Pep thought so too. She had to head out right away though, the rest of the world can’t get enough of the great Miss Potts.” He winked.  
Peter let out a laugh at this. He was surprised to notice his breath still unsteady. 

May seemed to notice, too. Seemingly brushing it off as harmless leftover nerves, she ran a hand through his hair before leaning down slightly to give him a motherly peck on the forehead.  
“You did amazing sweetheart. I am so super proud of you. Now that you’re done I have to take Ned and MJ home like I promised their parents I would, then I have to get ready for my night shift. You still okay with staying at the tower tonight?”  
So she didn’t brush it off. Contrary to Mays belief though, Peter’s nerves were not from the prospect of spending the night at the tower.  
“‘Course, May. Love you.”

“Love you too, Peter.”

With a final hug from May and a wave goodbye to his friends, Peter was left with Mr. Stark.  
He caught Peter slightly off guard by wrapping an arm around him and asking,  
“You okay, Pete?”

To which Peter replied,  
“Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?”

“You’re shaking like an angry chihuahua.”

At this Peter realized how much anxious energy he was still radiating. He stuck his hands in front of himself and looked down to see them practically vibrating. He always had shaky hands when he was most nervous. He let out a breathy laugh that was way more shaky than it should’ve been. Peter felt close to tears. He sounded it too. 

Tony stepped in front of him and put his hands on Peter’s shoulders. 

“Woah! Hey what’s wrong, Pete? I promise you did great. And Pepper would’ve stayed if she could bud, you know that,” Tony comforted. 

“It’s not that. I don’t really know what it is. I was just so nervous beforehand I think my body didn’t really get a chance to process it before it was already over.”  
Tony nodded. 

“Okay. Let’s get you upstairs in a more familiar environment. That’ll help. I’ll make some hot chocolate and we can sit and watch a movie if you want.”

Peter nodded his head. Tony looked at him for a minute before pulling him in close for a hug. Without saying anything else he put his arm back around Peter’s shoulder and guided him to the elevator. 

“Going up, Fri.”

“Of course, Boss.”

When they entered the common area Tony planted Peter on the couch and went over to the kitchen to make them each a cup of hot chocolate. Peter queued up The Phantom Menace on the tv in the middle of the room. As the opening credits appeared, so did Mr. Stark. He set both mugs of hot chocolate down and took a seat next to Peter.  
“Have you ever felt like this before while presenting?” Peter nodded. “I know you know, but you can always talk to me, Pete. Me or May or any of your friends. Even Pepper or Happy are here to help you. I know it may seem silly to get anxious over something like a presentation, but we can’t help what makes us anxious or just a little nervous. It happens to the best of us. But we’re here for you, and if we need to we can always practice ways to help clear up the anxiety that comes with public speaking if it’s a reoccurring thing.”

Peter couldn’t help but smile. 

“Thank you so much Mr. Stark. I think that would really help.”  
“Of course, Pete. Anytime.”

Mr. Stark pulled Peter into his side for a much needed hug. As Peter leaned forward to get his hot chocolate, he found his hands were longer shaking.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first ever work published! I will be doing Whumptober, so I hope you all enjoy and stick around for more works!


End file.
